Machine for mixing textile fibers



Sept 23, 1@4L F. REMINGTON 2,256,577

MACHINE FOR MIXING TEXTILE'FIBERS Filed May 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l @muy Sept 23, l941- l.. F. REMINGTON 2,256,577

MACHINE FOR MIXING TEXTILEA FIBERS Filed May l5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 23, 1941 MACHINE FOR MIXING TEXTILE FIBERS Leland F. Remington, Worcester, Mass., assig'nor to Curtis & Marble Machine Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,822

(Cl. lil-146) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for mixing textile fibers, such as cotton or Wool, and in which the operation is in part mechanical and in part pneumatic. A machine of this general type is shown in Truslow Patent No. 1,399,590, issued December 6, 1921.

It is the general object of my present invention to improve the construction of such mixing machines as heretofore known, to the intent that the machine may be simplified in structure and may be more eiiicient in operation.

With this general object in view, an important feature of the invention relates to the provision of a slow-speed motor direct-connected to rotate the distributor pipe and associated parts.

Other features of the invention relate to improved means for supporting and aligning the motor with the rotating mixing mechanism, and to devices for protecting the moving parts from dirt and lint.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the driving motor and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a supporting ring, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation, taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. l, I have shown a stationary supply pipe I having a down-turned delivery portion II which extends loosely into a circular opening I2 in the arm I3 of a frame member I4. 'Ihe member I4 is mounted on angle iron bars I5, which bars in turn are secured by U-shaped castings I6 to an upper turn-table plate I1. The axis of the turn-table plate I1 is in alignment with the opening I2 in the arm I3 and also with the delivery portion II of the fixed supply pipe I Il.

A distributor pipe 2l! is secured to the bars I5 by clamps 2|, and one up-turned end 22 of the pipe 20 is secured in the arm I3 in alignment with the opening I2 and with the supply pipe portion II. The other end 24 of the pipe 20 is uti-turned and open, and is in substantial alignment with a deiiector plate 2B, supported on an arm 21 extending radially from the frame member I4. A

counterbalance weight W is provided on the bars I 5 to offset the unbalanced Weight of the distributing pipe 2Q and associated parts.

The entire structure thus far described, with the exception of the iixed supply pipe IIJ, is slowly Arotated so that fibers blown through the supply pipe I0 and distributor pipe 20 will be uniformly distributed and thoroughly mixed as the outlet portion 24 describes a wide circle andas the fiber is simultaneously deflected in all directions by the plate 26.

'I'he general operation of the machine as thus far described is similar to the disclosure of the Truslow patent cited and in itself forms no part of my present invention, which relates more particularly to the means for supporting and rotating the fiber distributing devices.

In my improved construction, I provide a tubular post or stand 30, which may be secured to the bottom of the mixing chamber in any convenient manner, and which supports a collar 3| having arms 32 with inwardly projecting upper ends 33 and with an intermediate stiffening band or ring 34. Brackets 35 are bolted to the inside faces of the arms 32 and support a steel ring or plate 31, on which a vertically disposed motor M is mounted.

The casing 40 of the motor M passes freely through the plate 31 and has a circular flange 4I which rests on `said plate and is secured thereto by screws 42.

The drive shaft 45 of the motor M extends loosely through a iixed bearing plate 46 and is secured in the hub 41 of the turn-table plate I1. The bearing plate 4S is secured by bolts 48 to the inwardly projecting ends 33 of the fixed arms 32. A plurality of balls 5D are positioned in a ball race between the plates I1 and 46, and the entire rotating structure is supported by and rotates on this annular ball bearing.

The motor M is preferably provided with selfcontained reduction gearing, so that the drive shaft and distributor pipe rotate at a lower speed than the rotor of the motor. A casing C enclcses the motor M and its associated parts and eifectively excludes dirt and lint from the motor and from the ball bearing support of the distributor pipe.

I have thus provided an extremely simple but eiiicient construction for operating a mixing machine, which construction permits an entirely uniform distribution of fibers about the post or stand 30, with no obstructing parts to interfere with free fall of the bers. i

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited fto the detailsher'ein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what Irclaim is:

f 1. In a mixing machine having av fixed supply pipe,'a rotating distributor pipe and a deecting v plate, that improvement which comprises providing aY fixed supporting frame, a ring plate mounted on said frame, an electric motor projectng loosely downward through the opening in said rotating structure.V Y Y 2. In a, mixing machine having a xed supply pipe, a rotating distributor pipe and a .deecting plate, that improvement which comprises pro-` viiing a xed supporting membena supporting ture comprising said distributor pipe and its associated parts being aligned with and directly con- Y nected to the vdrive shaft of said motor and having an upper bearingY plate, said supporting frame having a lower and xed bearing plate, and a plurality of balls being interposed between said plates and forming a self-centering anti-friction bearing for said rotating structure. Y

3. Inarnixing machine Ihavingfa xed supply pipe, a rotating distributor pipe and a deiiecting plate, that improvement which comprises pro-Y viding a fixed vertically extending supporting ,frame mounted on said .membena ringplatersetionto' the top lface thereof, the Vrotatable .struc- .v cured on ,said supporting frame, an electric motor Y projecting loosely downward through the open- ,ing in saidringplatezand secured. in vertical pos'if Yframe, an electric motor suspended within the upper'portion of said frame with its axis vertical and having la peripheral lia-nge resting on and secured to lsupporting portions within said frame and substantially below the top surface thereof,Y

said frame being arranged circumferentially about said motor, a bearing mounted on top of said frame for supporting the rotatable structure kkwhich comprises the distributor pipe and its associated partsg'the `axes of said motor and of saidvrotatable structure being aligned with each other, and a directdriving'connection between Vthe driving shaft ofsaid motor and said vrotating structure;V

LELAND F. REMINGTON." 

